Metallica Member Quits- Slayer Blamed for Teen Slaying- High Schooler Threatens To Kill Rocker- Guns N' Roses Return- Ozzy Sitcom and more top stories from 2001

11/20/2009.

Rewind for Jan thru March 2001. As we come closer to the year 2010, we're going to be taking a quick look back at some of the biggest stories of the past decade.

Sad but true, Jason Newsted has announced that he has left Metallica. Newsted was hired away from Phoenix speedmetal band Flotsam & Jetsam in 1986 after the tragic death of Cliff Burton. Over the past fourteen years Newsted has played bass on six of Metallica's albums. The following is part of a statement issued by Jason announcing his decision: "Due to private and personal reasons, and the physical damage that I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love, I must step away from the band." more

Metal group Slayer will once again face allegations that their music was partially responsible for the murder of a 15 year-old girl in 1995. In January, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Burke ruled that the attorneys for the slain girl's family failed to present sufficient evidence to warrant a trial. Allen Hutkin the attorney representing the parents of the 15 year-old victim, Elyse Pahler, filed a third amended complaint last Friday (March 23rd) in hopes of bringing the case to trial. more

It appears an Buffalo Grove, Illinois high school student has been sending death threats via email to Enuff Z'nuff guitarist Monaco. Monaco, real name John Monaco, started receiving harassing and threatening emails from this individual on December 30th. The address line of the first email stated that it came from a JACK PACIOLLA using an earthlink email account. In this email the sender told Monaco he looked like Tori Amos and accused him of being a "crazy petifile" (that's pedophile for those who can spell). more

After a long seven year absence Guns N' Roses returned to the stage at 3:30am Jan 1st at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. The latest incarnation of the rock supergroup played mostly music from the chart topping debut "Appetite for Destruction", but treated fans to a preview of five new songs that will appear on the forthcoming "Chinese Democracy" album. more

TheThreshold.com are hoping to launch a new sitcom based on the life of Ozzy Osbourne. The website has been hired to produce Ozzy's websites and is also working on plans to develop a new sitcom based around the legendary metal vocalist, tentatively titled, "Ozzy and Harriet." more

Reading between the lines on a news update today at the official KISS website, it appears that Peter Criss has bowed out for the remainder of the Reunion tour and former KISS drummer Eric Singer has rejoined the group for the remainder of the tour. more

Karen McNeil, the women who was convicted of stalking Axl Roseafter she violated a restraining order, will be sentenced for violating her probation on March 1st. She was charged with the violation after she left an Ohio mental hospital last December without permission. more

On Feb 19th Napster put a $1 billion dollar offer on the negotiating table in hopes of settling the copyright infringement lawsuit brought against them last year by various major record labels. So far, one record label went on record in a press statement dismissing the offer as not being enough. more

David Lee Roth filed a lawsuit against the etailer VanHalenStore. Roth is seeking injunctive relief against the website for fraudulently claiming to sell "official" Van Halen merchandise. more

In January, Elektra Records upgraded sales figures for fourteen AC/DC albums placing their total sales in the US at 63 million according to The Recording Industry Association of America newest certification numbers; this is up from their previous listing of 46.5 million. With the new sales numbers tallied, AC/DC is now the fifth highest certified band in U.S. history. Only the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Eagles have sold more records in America. more

System Of A Down and producer Rick Rubin will enter a Los Angeles studio on Monday, February 12 to begin recording one of the most highly-anticipated albums of this year—the follow-up to the group's self-titled debut album which was released in 1998 on the Sony-distributed American Recordings label. more

We have some bad news for fans expecting to see Slash's Snakepit open for AC/DC on the current North American Tour. Slash has been forced to cancel the remaining dates on the tour due to a bout with pneumonia. more

Sean "P.Shiddy" Combs walked out of court March 16th a free man after a jury found him not guilty on all charges. Puffy was facing a possible 15 to 30 years in prison (depending on who you ask) on bribery and illegal gun charges stemming from a shooting at a New York nightclub in 1999. here

We'll be back Monday with a look at the biggest stories from March thru June of 2001 as our end of the decade countdown continues.